


Turning Tables

by ladydragon76



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Fanfiction, M/M, character: megatron, character: starscream, genre: drama, rating: R - Freeform, verse: g1, warning: canon- what canon?, warning: slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-17
Updated: 2012-04-17
Packaged: 2017-11-03 19:48:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/385216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydragon76/pseuds/ladydragon76
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary:</b> A tfanonkink request fill.  The request can be found <b> <a href="http://tfanonkink.livejournal.com/7561.html?thread=7862153#t7862153">here</a> </b>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Turning Tables

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings:** Slavery fic and all that entails.  
>  **Notes:** This one grabbed me. There’s no smut, but given these two, I’m not entirely sure there would be. Starscream had bigger issues in mind.

**Title:** Turning Tables  
 **‘Verse:** G1  
 **Series:** None  
 **Rating:** R  
 **Pairings:** Starscream/Megatron  
 **Summary:** A tfanonkink request fill. The request can be found **[here](http://tfanonkink.livejournal.com/7561.html?thread=7862153#t7862153) **.  
 **Warnings:** Slavery fic and all that entails.  
 **Notes:** This one grabbed me. There’s no smut, but given these two, I’m not entirely sure there would be. Starscream had bigger issues in mind.

 

**The Prompt**

_So. Slave-fics. I'm pretty sure that every time I see a slave-Megatron, he comments e ither to his master or simply to himself that "at least Starscream isn't my master."_

_I don't think that I have ever seen a master-Starscream/slave-Megatron fic._

_This should be changed._

_Anything and everything goes, Anons. I just want to see this happen, no matter the circumstances or sex-type. Any other kinks you want to throw in are more than welcome, and any scenario you can come up with to make this happen._

_And seriously - any way you want to take this is fine. You can confirm Megatron's fears that Starscream would humiliate and demean him, or you can make Scree into a surprisingly compassionate master, or... whatever. I just want to know what would/could happen!_

 

**Turning Tables**

 

“Are you finished yet?!” Megatron demanded, pacing behind Starscream.

“Almost, but even after I am, it will still need tested.” Primus! Was there any hope of him _not_ sounding like one of the humans’ broken records when dealing with Megatron?

“You and your ridiculous testing, Starscream! If you weren’t such a coward, or so incompetent all of the time, we would have won this war by now!”

Starscream gritted his teeth together and finished the last touch on the new gun. He barely had a chance to lift it before Megatron snatched it out of his hands. “It would be wise to test it.”

“Are you volunteering?” Megatron asked, voice dropping into a threatening purr.

“No, bu-“

“Then shut up! We can hardly test this weapon on a Decepticon. _If_ you managed to do it right, the virus will enslave them. The Autobots shall be my slaves.” He gave Starscream a smug look. “My Decepticons are already loyal. Are they not, Starscream?”

“I have _always_ been loyal to the cause! And I made an antidote for the sole purpose of testing the weapon. It won’t take any time at all! How many times must I say, you do _not_ take an untried- Ow!”

Starscream rubbed his helm where Megatron had smacked him, and glared at the tyrant. “That’s better,” Megatron smirked. “Now shut up, and let’s go. We have Autobots to enslave.”

Starscream frowned and rubbed his helm. There was a slagging dent there. He could feel it. He followed Megatron, muttering under his breath, “Hope it backfires.”

~ | ~

They were losing in a big way as Megatron pulled the virus gun on Optimus Prime. “Now you’re mine, Prime!” He squeezed the trigger.

And the gun backfired.

Actually. It just blew up.

Prime laughed and backed away as Megatron flailed and fell onto his back. Starscream watched the nanites disappear under the silver plating, watched as red optics flickered off, and Megatron went still.

It was then that it struck him.

No one else knew what the gun did. No one else knew there was an antidote.

_He_ was now leader of the Decepticons!

Starscream rushed to Megatron’s side and crouched beside him. He leaned over, just in time, as Megatron’s optics reset, and he looked up at Starscream.

Smiling, Starscream ordered, “You will tell _no one_ that you are now my slave. You will in _no way_ hint, suggest, tell, or show anyone about the antidote. Now get up, call the retreat, and we’ll finish settling our new arrangement back at the Victory without all these… spectators.”

The true test of whether or not it would work was if Megatron obeyed. He winced, seemed to struggle, but then rose. “Next time, Prime! Decepticons! Return to base.”

Starscream launched, smiling happily to himself. He ignored the odd looks he was getting, and flew away from the battlefield. He really needed to stop arguing with Megatron about testing weapons first. Or… now he could just test them _on_ Megatron.

It was all Starscream could do to fly normally. The urge to dance his way back to the ship was strong.

~ | ~

As ordered -and oh, wasn’t that just delicious!- Megatron sent all the other Decepticons from the Command Center.

Starscream didn’t care one bit that they all thought he was going to get it. Again. They were so very wrong, but he wouldn’t risk correcting them. The slave coding was untested. He had programmed it to respond to the first mech the new slave saw as his master -that had obviously worked- but beyond that, it was unknown. Would someone else be able to break it? If they knew, would there then be a way for Megatron to tell them about the antidote? Not to mention, his own life could be at risk. He had based the slave program on old historical texts, and those claimed that a slave passed to the master’s heir, or in the case of their being no clear heir, the master’s killer.

He wouldn’t risk his new authority over Megatron, which meant it had to remain a secret. It was a wonderful secret, however, and he _would_ be leader of the Decepticons! He _was_ leader of the Decepticons! _With_ the added benefit of Megatron being forced to serve him, _and_ see how right Starscream often was about things.

It really couldn’t have been a better day.

Once the doors closed, Starscream smirked and sashayed over to Megatron’s- No. _His_ throne. He draped himself in it and grinned. “Well, slave, what shall I do with you now?”

Megatron growled, optics pale with rage and hate.

Starscream laughed, and pointed to the floor at his feet. “Kneel.” He relished the vision of Megatron _forced_ to comply. A giddy giggle escaped him, but Starscream didn’t care. This was wonderful!

He reached out, petting Megatron’s helm and laughing at the threatening growl. “You aren’t allowed to hurt me. Not in any way. It’s just such a shame I can’t show this to the other Decepticons yet. But don’t worry. We will. And you’re going to help me.” Starscream chuckled as Megatron growled. He shook, no doubt with impotent rage, but remained where Starscream had ordered him. “We’re going to do things _my_ way for a while. I’m even going to be generous. You’ll present everything as though it was _your_ idea. Then. Once they’ve all seen how well things are going, we’ll show them what a good pet you’ve been.”

“You’re a fool, Sta-“

“Shut up!” Starscream snapped, then laughed as Megatron’s jaw clacked as he shut it fast. “Listen to your master, _Lord_ Megatron. In fact…” he trailed off as though thinking it over. “Whenever we’re alone I want you to address me as master. Is that clear?”

Starscream could practically hear as Megatron’s very spark fought the compulsion to reply. “Yes, master.”

Starscream laughed again at the angry growl. “I’d order you to be respectful, but I think I enjoy seeing you fight yourself more.” He patted Megatron’s helm, then flicked his hand in a shooing gesture. “Now go get me some energon, slave.”

He laughed yet again as Megatron stood against his will, each step looking as if someone else was controlling him… which was true. Starscream flung one leg over the arm of the throne, and purred happily. As a parting shot, he called out, “You have no one to blame but yourself. I _told_ you we should test it first.”

This was going to be so much fun!

~ | ~

Starscream lounged on Megatron’s berth, smirking and swirling the energon in his cube. Things were going well. Of course some of the Decepticons looked at one another questioningly at first, confused by Megatron’s seeming more cautious planning, but the three last successes had effectively stopped the whispers.

Starscream sipped the energon. “If you tell me I’m a genius and better tactical commander than you, I’ll let you have some energon. It’s quite delicious.”

Megatron snarled.

“Speak,” Starscream commanded. “Tell me the truth. Not what you think I want to hear, not your own twisted version of ‘what a moron that stupid Starscream is’, but the truth.”

“Less fuel would have been consumed getting to a closer target,” Megatron ground out.

Starscream nodded, conceding the point. “A closer target is also closer to the Autobots, raising the likelihood of them arriving before we’re done and on our way.”

“Better to face a fight head on than sneaking about like cowards!”

Starscream tipped his helm. “You really believe that don’t you?” He sighed, sitting up as he shook his head. “It’s not cowardice to fight smart. Our relationship… Our _previous_ relationship is proof that you think blunt force is the best tool, but you’re wrong.” He stood, drawing another cube of energon from Megatron’s personal dispenser and carrying it back. He crouched before a silently seething Megatron. “And how much _more_ fuel would have been wasted? How many of our far too depleted resources would have been used up needlessly in battle and in the inevitable repairs afterward?”

Starscream held out the cube. “I’m right, and you know it. Or you wouldn’t be wishing I’d have sudden spark failure and drop dead at your feet right now.” He smirked as Megatron growled. “Drink, you fool.” He shoved the cube into Megatron’s hand, and flopped over on the berth again.

“I think,” Starscream began, “that when you can admit to my real value, we’ll discuss your freedom.” Not that he thought that day would ever come. He would have the Decepticons well in hand and have led them all to victory before Megatron could admit something like that. And even then he wouldn’t. Just to be stubborn.

Still. Wouldn’t it be nice if Megatron remembered just why he’d made Starscream his Air Commander, and then Second?

~ | ~

Starscream hissed as Megatron chuckled, his kneeling position not cowing him in the least.

That battle had been a _horrendous_ failure! The Autobots had appeared out of nowhere! Megatron had purposely sabotaged the battle, fighting every order Starscream had given him. They were just lucky Optimus Prime hadn’t been there!

“Not so smug now, are you, _Master_?” Starscream glared, pacing the floor of the Command Center. “So much for your genius choice in targets.”

Starscream stopped mid-step. “You’re right.” Oh, and that shocked look was worth admitting his miscalculation. He grinned. “See. That’s how a _real_ leader owns up to his mistakes,” he purred, then went back to pacing.

“It wasn’t the site, however, that was the problem. I scouted it months ago, proposed it to you, you shot it down, and I did not do a new reconnaissance before the mission.” Starscream smiled down at his confused slave. “I fell into the very same trap you’ve managed to do nothing but fall into since we woke on this planet. I was over-confident. Not as careful as I should have been.” He sat in the throne, kicking a leg over the arm of it. “Those Autobots were not there because we attacked the fuel processing center. They were in the area for something else. Bad luck, bad timing.” He nodded, more to himself than for Megatron’s benefit. “I should have checked the target.”

Megatron snorted. “So now you’re going to be even more of a coward? …Master.”

Starscream heaved a sigh, and let his helm fall back. “We really must break you of thinking intelligence and forethought is equal to cowardice. Or have you forgot I got myself arrested intentionally, and then destroyed half the Council for you without backup? There is nothing cowardly about a plan that gives one the best chance of success.”

“Wars are not won by sitting around planning for every possible contingency. …Master.”

Starscream snorted, rolling his helm to look down at Megatron. “They’re obviously not won by making untested weapons and rushing headlong into the most confrontational scenarios so said weapon can blow up in one’s face either.” He sighed. “Bring me my energon. I can see we still have some work to do before I can safely free you.”

“You have no intention of releasing me.” Megatron resisted the order as long as he could, teeth gritting against the burn across his systems the slave coding caused. “We both know that’s a lie. _Master_.”

Starscream watched as Megatron lurched across the room, fighting the coding with every step. He heaved another sigh, and stared up at the ceiling. This was becoming tedious. Truthfully, he had planned on telling the Decepticons at the victory party. Unfortunately, there was no victory, and thus no party. He hated admitting it to himself, but he was bored of pushing Megatron around. It wasn’t that much fun anymore. The arguing was tedious, and he couldn’t change Megatron’s opinion with an order. He had slowly been testing the boundaries of the slave programming. He could order any action, and Megatron would eventually be driven to obey. He could order Megatron’s opinion, but not make him see things from Starscream’s own point of view.

Wait. There might be something there.

Starscream pulled a datapad from his subspace, absently taking the offered cube as he thumbed through for the file he was after. Pits! He had to do _something_ if that irritated growl didn’t give him even a petty little thrill anymore. “Ah! Here it is.” Starscream gestured at the floor. “Sit. Read this.” He held out the datapad. “I want your _honest_ opinion on that. If there’s something scientific you don’t fully understand, ask. I want you to look at that as if it came from Soundwave. Or, Primus! Even Shockwave. I want you to truly consider it. I want to know how you think it could be improved, and what you like about it. Understand?”

Megatron snarled a, “Yes, master,” then got to reading.

Starscream answered the questions Megatron was forced to ask, and as the hours passed, Megatron became more interested, and less angry. Starscream waited for the critique, braced for the usual venom and for his careful and rather impressive plan to be torn apart at the seams.

He kept waiting as Megatron poured over the file again, and then again.

A smile began to bloom. “You can’t find fault, can you?”

“I’m not a scientist,” Megatron replied, still reading. It was probably as close to admitting he didn’t know enough to find fault as he’d get.

“Nonsense. You asked all those questions. You understand how the new power generator would function.” Starscream bit his lip to keep from giggling in happiness, and sat up. “You can’t find fault! Admit it!”

Megatron growled, and glared up. “The cost of energon to build this-“

“Would be tripled in return the first week it was operational!”

“The Autobots will know we’re up to something and attack, wasting all the effort!”

Starscream shook his helm. “If we are just as careful and cautious in planning the raids for the needed supplies, they won’t know what we’re up to, _if_ they even manage to link the raids to us. If we pull it off right, even the humans won’t be able to definitively blame us.”

Megatron’s mouth worked for a moment. Then, “Too many if’s.”

Starscream laughed, and fell back in the throne. “You’re grasping, Megatron!” he grinned as Megatron glared up at him. “Tomorrow, you will present that to Soundwave as though it’s your plan. Let him pick over it. Let Shockwave. See if they can find a way to improve it. You will in _no way_ even hint at it being my idea. It’s yours, all yours when you discuss it with them. If they’re surprised by the scientific content, just tell them you had me do some of the design work. We’ve been closeted together enough lately that they’ll believe it.” He stood from the throne, ready to go recharge. “Understand?”

“Yes… master,” Megatron grumbled.

“Good. Now go get some recharge. We’re going to be quite busy soon.”

~ | ~

Starscream was still flying high on his plan being approved by both Soundwave and Shockwave when he entered the conference room. It was his dream come true. All right. Not _that_ big, but he was absolutely giddy. He would have to reward Megatron later. If he could be sure the tyrant wouldn’t just kill him, he’d hand him the antidote, and get down to the business of ending this fragging war and saving Cybertron.

Being listened to did wonders for his peace of mind. Pits, if he could just get Megatron to listen the way he used to, the way he was under orders, he’d be content to be Second in Command.

Well, for a little while longer.

Starscream figured it was his own euphoric state that caused him to miss the change in the atmosphere. Megatron’s tone struck a chord, however, and he really looked around.

Soundwave held himself in that smug way he had when Starscream was in trouble. Scrapper and the Constructicons were sitting too attentively.

And Megatron was smirking as he set a small glass tube down on the conference table. Starscream stared at it, optics widening as he recognized the vial he had stored the slave code’s antidote virus in.

“Hello, _Starscream_. Pleasure you could join us,” Megatron purred.

Starscream hesitated. If he bolted now, he could probably escape the ship…

“Sit. We have plans to make for the first raid.” Starscream blinked, wondering what trick this was, but found himself inching forward to take a seat, too shocked and confused to really argue.

“You forgot to take into account that Soundwave can read minds,” Megatron said. Starscream sat, wings angled back out of striking range. “I’ve decided to spare you from many of my darker fantasies since you’ve actually managed to make yourself useful lately. Continue to do so, and you get to continue to function.” He paused, smirking. “Understand?”

Starscream had to reset his vocalizer to get the words out. “Yes, Mighty Megatron.”

Megatron eyed him for a moment, then sat, sliding a datapad across the table. “Good. That is a list of possible target’s Soundwave compiled. Impress me.”

Starscream thumbed on the datapad, and looked at the list. He felt a small grin curl across his lips. “I think we should take them simultaneously.” He glanced up at Megatron, noted the raised optic ridge, and smiled more sincerely when he wasn’t immediately derided. “If we send small teams in to take just a little bit from each place, it will be less noticeable than if we cleaned out just one or two of the facilities.”

Starscream remained somewhat tense through the entire meeting, but it went exceptionally well. Meaning he wasn’t bellowed at or struck even once. His spark did pulse in trepidation when Megatron ordered him to stay as the other filed out, the Constructicons talking excitedly about the project. He braced for it, whatever _it_ was going to be. A beating? A scathing set-down of what an utter fool he really was? An announcement that it was all just a cruel prank, they weren’t going to do the build?

“If this continues, we will call it a lesson learned and all the better for The Cause.” Megatron’s hands planted on the table right in front of Starscream, and it took effort to look up into glowing red optics. “One word about how you are going to take over the Decepticons, one attempt on my life, and I will take _great_ pleasure in ruining you completely and making you beg for death for years before I grant it.”

Starscream cycled his vents, and gave Megatron an earnest look. “If you listen, if you actually accept my council, I have no reason to fight against you. If you lose sight of our goals again, I’ll do whatever is necessary for The Cause. As I always have.”

Megatron’s helm tipped, expression considering for a moment. “Did you make that gun fail on purpose?”

Starscream blinked. “No. I _told_ you it needed tested!”

Megatron straightened. “Most of the Decepticons don’t know what the real result of that little misfire was. Keep it that way.”

Starscream stared. Oh. He forced the smirk off his face, and nodded seriously as Megatron glowered. “Yes, Megatron,” he said obediently. So Megatron was embarrassed? Excellent, if that saved Starscream’s aft. Besides, he’d meant it. So long as they were working toward the goals of saving Cybertron and winning freedom from the Autobots, he had no real reason to challenge Megatron.

Yet.

~ | ~

**([Table of Contents](http://ladydragon76.livejournal.com/6214.html) )**


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